© University of Liverpool 2019
FIELDWORKSAFETY
Planning for working on the coast
When you are planning your field visit:
•
use a map to give you some idea of the points of
access to the shore, positions of military training
areas (and where permission my be necessary for
access) and the danger areas where you may get cut
off by the tide or swept away in rough sea conditions
•
obtain an up to date copy of the tide tables for your
area of study
•
be aware that access to most types of coastal
fieldwork is likely to be controlled to some extent by
the tides
•
plan your activities so you will be working on a
falling tide when you are on wavecut platforms,
estuaries, in rocky inlets, enclosed bays or caves
•
know your escape route(s) so that you are not cut off
by the incoming tide.
Remember:
There are special risks in military training areas:
unexploded mines, shells or bombs, hits by bullets or
shells and barbed wire. These risks may result in cuts,
severe wounding or death. Never enter these areas
without permission. Obey all instructions and don't
touch anything except rock.
Tides
Risk of rising tides, becoming trapped by the sea, wetting or being
washed out to sea may lead to exposure, physical injury or drowning.
Precautions to take are:
•
Consult local weather forecasts and tide tables.
•
Remember strong onshore winds may alter tide times.
•
Check the coastline to identify dangerous areas and escape routes
to use in case the tide traps you.
•
Work on a falling tide.
•
Be aware of fast rising tides when working.
Tides occur in rivers and estuaries as well as along stretches of the
coast. If you are working in an environment that is affected by tides you
must:
•
consult the local tide tables
•
remember that tide times may vary with the weather
•
understand that the tide may come in faster than you can escape
•
plan your coastal work so that you will be working on a falling tide.
If you have wondered why we have tides, the short YouTube
video below explains the forces of nature that cause tides.
Cliff falls
Coastal rock cliffs are potentially
hazardous places, especially after
storms and during winter and spring
when the cliffs may become unstable
due to undercutting by the sea and as a
result of weathering and erosion. Risks
include: collapse of rock faces, stone
falls and falls from the cliff face. These
may result in: head injuries, broken
limbs, burial, death.
Precautions are:
•
Don't work under areas where
daylight can be seen through cracks
in the cliff face.
•
Assess the cliff stability and always
wear a safety helmet.
Wave-cut platforms
The risks on wavecut platforms are: rising tides, deteriorating conditions, becoming
stranded/trapped by the sea, slipping on wet or seaweed-coated surfaces, freak
waves washing you off the platform and wetting. These risks may result in exposure,
drowning and physical injury.
Remember: There is special risk in areas of high tidal range.
When you are working below unstable rock faces:
•
always wear a safety helmet and sturdy boots
•
assess the stability of the face; do not approach if it appears unstable
•
do not hammer high faces
•
keep a look out; warn others if you think that the face they are examining is
unstable
•
do not climb cliff faces
•
do not approach the top edge of a cliff
•
beware of birds on ledges because of the risk of falling rock fragments
•
maintain personal hygiene to avoid the risk of infection from bird droppings
Precautions - cliffs and wavecut platforms
Climbing cliffs
Climbing cliffs can be dangerous. Many
cliffs that look easy to climb near the
base have vertical faces at the top
and/or steep faces of crumbly 'head'
deposits which can be impossible to
climb. Top edges of rock cliffs are
potentially hazardous, particularly
where there are rapid rates of erosion,
because the cliffs can become very
unstable. There is risk of falls from the
cliff and collapse of the cliff face
resulting in head injuries, broken
limbs, burial and death. As a
precaution you should never climb sea
cliffs, even to escape the tide, unless
there is a clearly marked path.
Weather conditions & sea birds
Cliff tops are hazards when mist limits visibility and there is risk of
injury from a fall. In the spring breeding season bird colonies on cliff
ledges are a further hazard. When approached some birds (e.g. terns
& skuas) attack and discharge droppings or vomit. Risk of developing
nasal discomfort &/or infections from bird discharges and injury
from falling rocks dislodged by birds may be reduced by checking
local weather forecasts, avoiding cliff tops, not disurbing nesting
birds, wearing a safety helmet and maintaining personal hygiene.
Abandoned buildings
Some areas of the coastline contain abandoned
buildings, equipment, piers and the remains of
quarrying, mining or industry. Many of these
are hazards because they are in an unstable
and dangerous condition. Risks are: collapse of
buildings and piers and falls. These may result
in cuts, abrasions, broken limbs and head
injuries, crush injuries, drowning and death. As
a precaution do not enter abandoned
buildings.
Cliff collapse
This massive cliff fall at Birling Gap, East Sussex
was was filmed by Eddie Mitchel on 4th March
2014. Thousands of tonnes of rock fell into the
sea during the cliff fall and generated a huge
wave along the coastline. It is a reminder about
just how unstable cliff edges can be.
Rock cliffs are potentially hazardous places to
work especially after storms and during winter
and spring. The rapid rate of erosion on some
cliffs also means that their top edges can be
unstable.
There is risk of:
•
collapse of the rock face
•
stone fall from the cliff face
•
falls from the cliff face or cliff top.
Work out the possible results of these risks on
hazardous cliffs.
When you are working on wavecut platforms:
•
check the local tide tables and always carry a
watch
•
work on a falling tide
•
plan your escape route and note positions of
channels
•
cross seaweed carefully
•
avoid wavecut platforms on days when wind
blows onshore
Unstable sand-clay cliffs
Sand and clay cliffs can be particularly unstable after
periods of high rainfall, winter storms and frost. Once
saturated with water there is high risk of slumping and
collapse of the cliff face with formation of mud slides or
quicksand. This may lead to burial, entrapment, drowning
or suffocation and death.
Precautions you should take:
•
avoid excavating steep sand-clay cliffs
•
keep clear of slumped areas to avoid sinking into the
mud or quicksand and becoming trapped.
Rock slabs
Risks of slipping, falling, sliding out of control and
becoming stuck on the slope may result in sprains,
grazes, broken limbs, spinal and head injuries (to
yourself and those below you). Precautions to take are:
•
Wear quality boots and a safety helmet with a chin
strap
•
Never climb slabs if they steepen upwards or are
slippery (if wet or covered in seaweed, moss, algae,
sand or mud)
•
Do not work directly above or below others and
never roll items downslope
•
Warn others if you see them in a dangerous
situation.
Grassy slopes
Grassy slopes are hazards, particularly when wet. The
risks of slipping, falling and sliding out of control may
result in sprains, broken limbs, injuries to those below
you and injuries from those above. Precautions you
should take:
•
Wear quality boots with ankle support and rubber
tread.
•
Proceed with caution, make use of hand holds and
never run down slopes.
•
Use a hammer as an anchor when moving on
slopes but never cross slopes which become
steeper above cliffs.
Boulder and block fields
There is risk of slipping and falling on boulders and
blocks, which are often slippery because they are covered
in seaweed and algae. Slips and falls may result in
fractured bones and/or sprains. As a precaution wear:
•
quality boots with deep rubber tread, toe protection
and firm ankle support
•
a safety helmet with chin strap.
Estuaries, sand and mud flats
Estuaries and tidal flats hold special risks, particularly
where there is a high tidal range. The tide may come in
faster than you can escape and can flood channels
which may isolate you from the shore. Some areas also
have quicksand or soft wet mud where there is the risk
of entrapment. These risks may result in: exposure,
hypothermia, drowning. There is also the problem of
sand in the eyes, which may lead to eye irritations.
Precautions: Estuaries, sand and mud flats
When you are working on estuaries and on sand or mud flats:
•
Consult the local tide tables
•
Work on a falling tide.
•
Note the position of channels.
•
Plan an escape route.
•
Consult the locals.
•
Avoid crossing active channels.
Quicksand
Quicksand forms when water saturates loose sand. This sand appears to be solid,
but after it is disturbed, for example by a person attempting to walk on it, the sand
liquifies. A person stepping on quicksand will start to sink into the sediment.
Quicksand may be found on the coast, but also occurs inland on river banks, on the
edges of lakes or in marshes. This sand slows down your ability to walk and there is
risk of entrapment in quicksand resulting in exposure, hypothermia and drowning.
This video explains why quicksand is a hazard. It demonstrates why you should avoid areas where there is quicksand and what to do if you are trapped in it.
Remember:
If you get stuck in quicksand:
•
do not struggle while standing
•
lie down flat on the sand to spread your weight over a larger
surface area
•
call for help and if no one is within earshot of your cries for help,
give the international distress signal.
© University of Liverpool 2019
FIELDWORKSAFETY
Planning for working on the coast
When you are planning your field visit:
•
use a map to give you some idea of the points of access to the shore,
positions of military training areas (and where permission my be
necessary for access) and the danger areas where you may get cut off by
the tide or swept away in rough sea conditions
•
obtain an up to date copy of the tide tables for your area of study
•
be aware that access to most types of coastal fieldwork is likely to be
controlled to some extent by the tides
•
plan your activities so you will be working on a falling tide when you are
on wavecut platforms, estuaries, in rocky inlets, enclosed bays or caves
•
know your escape route(s) so that you are not cut off by the incoming
tide.
Remember:
There are special risks in military training areas: unexploded mines, shells or
bombs, hits by bullets or shells and barbed wire. These risks may result in
cuts, severe wounding or death. Never enter these areas without permission.
Obey all instructions and don't touch anything except rock.
Tides
Risk of rising tides, becoming trapped by the sea,
wetting or being washed out to sea may lead to
exposure, physical injury or drowning.
Precautions to take are:
•
Consult local weather forecasts and tide
tables.
•
Remember strong onshore winds may alter
tide times.
•
Check the coastline to identify dangerous
areas and escape routes to use in case the
tide traps you.
•
Work on a falling tide.
•
Be aware of fast rising tides when working.
Tides occur in rivers and estuaries as well as along stretches of the coast. If you are working in an
environment that is affected by tides you must:
•
consult the local tide tables
•
remember that tide times may vary with the weather
•
understand that the tide may come in faster than you can escape
•
plan your coastal work so that you will be working on a falling tide.
If you have wondered why we have tides, the short YouTube video below explains the forces of
nature that cause tides.
Cliff falls
Coastal rock cliffs are potentially hazardous
places, especially after storms and during
winter and spring when the cliffs may
become unstable due to undercutting by the
sea and as a result of weathering and
erosion. Risks include: collapse of rock faces,
stone falls and falls from the cliff face. These
may result in: head injuries, broken limbs,
burial, death.
Climbing cliffs
Climbing cliffs can be dangerous. Many cliffs that look easy to climb near the base have vertical
faces at the top and/or steep faces of crumbly 'head' deposits which can be impossible to climb.
Top edges of rock cliffs are potentially hazardous, particularly where there are rapid rates of
erosion, because the cliffs can become very unstable. There is risk of falls from the cliff and
collapse of the cliff face resulting in head injuries, broken limbs, burial and death. As a precaution
you should never climb sea cliffs, even to escape the tide, unless there is a clearly marked path.
Precautions are:
•
Don't work under areas where daylight can be seen through cracks in the cliff face.
•
Assess the cliff stability and always wear a safety helmet.
Cliff collapse
This massive cliff fall at Birling Gap, East Sussex was was filmed by Eddie Mitchel on 4th March
2014. Thousands of tonnes of rock fell into the sea during the cliff fall and generated a huge wave
along the coastline. It is a reminder about just how unstable cliff edges can be.
Rock cliffs are potentially hazardous places to work especially after storms and during winter and
spring. The rapid rate of erosion on some cliffs also means that their top edges can be unstable.
There is risk of:
•
collapse of the rock face
•
stone fall from the cliff face
•
falls from the cliff face or cliff top.
Work out the possible results of these risks on hazardous cliffs
Wave-cut platforms
The risks on wavecut platforms are: rising tides,
deteriorating conditions, becoming stranded/trapped by the
sea, slipping on wet or seaweed-coated surfaces, freak
waves washing you off the platform and wetting. These risks
may result in exposure, drowning and physical injury.
Remember: There is special risk in areas of high tidal range.
Weather conditions & sea birds
Cliff tops are hazards when mist limits visibility and there is risk of injury from a fall. In the spring
breeding season bird colonies on cliff ledges are a further hazard. When approached some birds
(e.g. terns & skuas) attack and discharge droppings or vomit. Risk of developing nasal discomfort
&/or infections from bird discharges and injury from falling rocks dislodged by birds may be
reduced by checking local weather forecasts, avoiding cliff tops, not disurbing nesting birds, wearing
a safety helmet and maintaining personal hygiene.
Precautions - cliffs and wavecut platforms
When you are working below unstable rock faces:
•
always wear a safety helmet and sturdy boots
•
assess the stability of the face; do not approach if
it appears unstable
•
do not hammer high faces
•
keep a look out; warn others if you think that the
face they are examining is unstable
•
do not climb cliff faces
•
do not approach the top edge of a cliff
•
beware of birds on ledges because of the risk of
falling rock fragments
•
maintain personal hygiene to avoid the risk of
infection from bird droppings
When you are working on wavecut
platforms:
•
check the local tide tables and always
carry a watch
•
work on a falling tide
•
plan your escape route and note
positions of channels
•
cross seaweed carefully
•
avoid wavecut platforms on days
when wind blows onshore
Abandoned buildings
Some areas of the coastline contain
abandoned buildings, equipment, piers and
the remains of quarrying, mining or
industry. Many of these are hazards
because they are in an unstable and
dangerous condition. Risks are: collapse of
buildings and piers and falls. These may
result in cuts, abrasions, broken limbs and
head injuries, crush injuries, drowning and
death. As a precaution do not enter
abandoned buildings.
Unstable sand-clay cliffs
Sand and clay cliffs can be particularly unstable
after periods of high rainfall, winter storms and
frost. Once saturated with water there is high risk
of slumping and collapse of the cliff face with
formation of mud slides or quicksand. This may
lead to burial, entrapment, drowning or
suffocation and death.
Precautions you should take:
•
avoid excavating steep sand-clay cliffs
•
keep clear of slumped areas to avoid sinking
into the mud or quicksand and becoming
trapped.
Grassy slopes
Grassy slopes are hazards, particularly when wet.
The risks of slipping, falling and sliding out of control
may result in sprains, broken limbs, injuries to those
below you and injuries from those above.
Precautions you should take:
•
Wear quality boots with ankle support and
rubber tread.
•
Proceed with caution, make use of hand holds
and never run down slopes.
•
Use a hammer as an anchor when moving on
slopes but never cross slopes which become
steeper above cliffs.
Boulder and block fields
There is risk of slipping and falling on
boulders and blocks, which are often slippery
because they are covered in seaweed and
algae. Slips and falls may result in fractured
bones and/or sprains. As a precaution wear:
•
quality boots with deep rubber tread, toe
protection and firm ankle support
•
a safety helmet with chin strap.
Estuaries, sand and mud flats
Estuaries and tidal flats hold special risks,
particularly where there is a high tidal range.
The tide may come in faster than you can
escape and can flood channels which may
isolate you from the shore. Some areas also
have quicksand or soft wet mud where there is
the risk of entrapment. These risks may result
in: exposure, hypothermia, drowning. There is
also the problem of sand in the eyes, which
may lead to eye irritations.
Precautions: Estuaries, sand and mud flats
When you are working on estuaries and on sand or mud flats:
•
Consult the local tide tables
•
Work on a falling tide.
•
Note the position of channels.
•
Plan an escape route.
•
Consult the locals.
•
Avoid crossing active channels.
Quicksand
Quicksand forms when water saturates loose sand. This sand appears to be solid, but after it is
disturbed, for example by a person attempting to walk on it, the sand liquifies. A person stepping
on quicksand will start to sink into the sediment.
Quicksand may be found on the coast, but also occurs inland on river banks, on the edges of
lakes or in marshes. This sand slows down your ability to walk and there is risk of entrapment in
quicksand resulting in exposure, hypothermia and drowning.
Remember:
If you get stuck in quicksand:
•
do not struggle while standing
•
lie down flat on the sand to spread your weight over a larger surface area
•
call for help and if no one is within earshot of your cries for help, give the international distress
signal.
This video explains why quicksand is a hazard. It demonstrates why you should avoid areas where
there is quicksand and what to do if you are trapped in it.
